Driving-gear



3 SheetsSheet 1.

(No Model.)

- 1?. HAYES.

DRIVING GEAR. No. 548,311. Patented Oct. 22, 1895.

p WITNESSES 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

P. HAYES.

DRIVING GEAR.

(No Model.)

No. 548,311. Patented Oct. 22, 1895 IJVTEJVZOZ? wzzjmsszs (No Model.) 3 Sheefs-Sheet 3.

P HAYES DRIVING GEAR.

No. 548,311. Patented Oct. 22, 1895.

2 J n] z m 6 o [NYE/V7072 .zillorney UNITED STATES PATENT -OFFICE.

FRANK HAYES, on SUPERIOR, WISCONSIN.

DRIVING-GEAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 548,311, dated October 22, 1895.

Application filed November 30, 1894. Serial No. 530,404- (No model.)

To on whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK HAYES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Superior, in the county of Douglas and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Driving-Gear; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use'the same.

My invention relates to various new and useful improvements in bicycles, and particularly to certain novelties in the construction of the gearing of the same.

The objects of my invention are to produce an improved gearing for bicycles by which the power applied can be varied within wide limits, and wherein I amenabled to vary the power almost instantly and without dismounting from the machine.

My improved device is composed of comparatively few parts, is strong and rigid in construction, and does not add materially to the Weight of the machine, while at the same time it may be economically manufactured and easily applied to existing bicycles of the safety type.

Broadly considered, my invention consists in applying a sprocket-wheel on each side of the main frame adapted to be partially ro-' tated by means of levers and the center of rotation of which may be varied with the result of changing the working radius of the wheel, according to the power which is to be applied, it being obvious from the following description that when the working radius of the sprocket-wheels is decreased the power to be applied to the driving-wheels will be increased proportionately. The means whereby the working radius of these sprocketwheels may be varied are subordinate to the broad and generic invention; but I have devised, and will hereinafter describe and claim an improved device for efiecting this end, which I have experimented with in practice and which fulfills all conditions.

For better comprehension of my invention attention is directed to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which- Figure l is a side elevation of a bicycle with my improvements applied thereto. Fig.

wheel l,a rear wheel 2, the diamond frame 3,

the cross parts 4, the seat 5, and Ihehandle- 'bar 6.

While my driving-gear can be conveniently applied to a machine of this type, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the same, as I find my present improvements can be made use of with all kinds of safety and other bicycles, including tricycles and polycycles. The axle of the rear driving-wheel is provided on each side thereof with asprocketwheel 7 of the usual construction, with which the sprocket-chain 8 engages, said sprocketchain being passed around and operated on each side by the sprocket-wheel 9, forming part of my improved driving-gear. The sprocket-wheels 7 are loosely mounted on the axle of the rear wheel and are provided, preferably,.on the outside with an integral drum v10. VVithin this drum are lugs 11, four of said lugs being shown in Fig. 5, and 12 are pawls mounted on pins 13 and bearing against said lugs, whereby the thrust of said pawls would be received. let is a ratchetwheel keyed to the axle of the rear driving-wheel 2 and mounted within the frame 10. Small leafsprings 15 are made use of to keep the said pawls 12 engaged with the periphery of the ratchet-wheel 14. By means of a clutch of the character just described and which is clearly shown in Fig. 5, the sprocket-wheel 7, when rotated in the direction of the arrow, will turn the driving-wheel through the pawlsli. and ratchet-wheel 14; but when moved in an opposite direction the said pawls will travel over the periphery of said ratchet-wheel without affecting the driving-wheel.

The sprocket-chains8 are of the usual construction, except that instead of being continuous throughout'their length they areLprO- vided with a heavy coiled spring 16, as shown, and by means of which the said sprocketchains will accommodate themselves to the different positions of the sprocket-wheels 9, irrespective of any increase of working radius.

17 is a hearing or drop-forging, which isiuserted, preferably, within the lower end of the tubular cross-brace 4 and brazed'therein so as to form a part of the machine. This bearing 17 is provided with two short horizontal journals 18, extending to each side thereof.

The outer ends of thesejournals 18 are turned down a trifle to form a shoulder against which the cone 19 on each side faces, said cones being of ordinary construction. One of the rear braces of the machine 20 on each side is provided with an eye at its end, which is also inserted over the end of the journals 18,and it is held in place thereon by the nut 20, which holds the parts securely in place. Each journal 18 is screw-threaded, as shown, and is provided on such portions with theadjustable cones 21 of ordinary construction.

22 is a cylindrical hub, mounted on the cones 19 and 21 on hard-steel balls 23, wherebya well-known form of ball-bearing is obtaiued. Small annular rings 24serve to hold the balls 23 in place when the hub 22 is removed fl'Olll the journal.

25 is a square flange which is formed on the hub 22, and to which flange is bolted the operatiug-lever 26, carrying an ordinary pedal 27 at its outer end. Mounted over the hub 2 is another hub 28, carrying a pinion 29 on its inner end and carrying aface-wheel 30 at its outer end, said face wheel being so mounted as to be easily operated by the foot of the rider.

31 is a rectangular oasinginclosingthe pinion 29 and'hub 28, said casing being held in place by bolts 32. Thesaid casing is cut away at 33, Fig. 3, to allow the teeth of the pinion 29 to protrude from the same and engage with the rack 34, formed on each of the sprocket-wheels 9, which'will be presently described.

35 is a beveled gear-wheel secured to a flange 36 on the hub 22 by means of the bolts 32, and 37 is a horizontal beveled gear-wheel mounted on the vertical journal 38, integral with the forging 17. Lock-nuts 39 hold the said gear-wheel 37 in place.

Each sprocket-wheel 9 is provided with two parallel guides 40 therein. \Vithin each works the rectangular casing 31 before described, and one of said guides 40 is provided with the before-mentioned rack 34, with which the pinion 29 engages. The said gnides'40 work between the flange 36 on the inside and the flange 41 on the outside, whereby the said sprocket-wheel 9 will be firmly supported. The face-wheel 30 is provided with notches 42 in its periphery, and engaging with said notches is a pin 43, mounted in the operatinglever 26 and being held in constant engagement with the periphery of the face-wheel 30 by means of the small coiled spring 44. This "pin 43 may bedisengaged from the face-wheel 30 by means of an angular lever 45, attached to a foot-piece 46, adapted to be pressed downward by the foot of the rider. By means of the elements just described the sprocketwheels 9 may be moved relatively to the journals 18, whereby the relative relation between the length of the crank and the movement of the sprocket-chain 8 may be varied. This adjustment is effected by disengaging the pin 43 from theface-wheel 30, after which said face-wheel may be turned around by the foot of the rider, carrying the pinion 29 with it. This movement of the pinion engaging with therack 34 will movethe sprocket-wheel 9 vertically upward or downward, so as to change the relative relation between said sprocket-wheels and the operating-crank.

Upon releasing the lever 45 the pin 43 will again engage withthe face-wheel 30 and the parts willbelocked together.

The deviceoperates as follows: The operating-l'evers *26 are operated alternately upward and downward over a path ofmovement about equal'to a quadrant. In moving downward the lever on one side, through the instrumentalityof the beveled gear-wheels 35 and 37, will elevate the lever at the other side of the machine, the parts being locked together. As will be understood, the sprocketchains 8 on each side will be moved backward and forward, thereby imparting the same movements to the sprocket-wheels 7,which movements, by reason of the ratchet before described, will give a continuousrotatory movement to the rear driving wheel. Bymaking use of the'spring 16, forming apart of each sprocket-chain, the said sprocket-chains will accommodate themselves to the variouspositions in whichthe sprocket-wheels 9 may be placed.

Before claiming my invention I desire to haveit understood thatIam not to be 1imited to the particular meansdescribed for changing the positions of the operating sprocket-wheels, whereby a different power may be obtained, as-that end may be effected in many other ways.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. As an improvement in driving gear for bicycles, the combination with the crank levers, the sprocket wheels operated thereby, means for moving said sprocket wheels radially, and pawl and ratchet connections be tween said sprocket wheels and the driving wheel of the bicycle, substantially as set forth.

2. Asan improvement in driving gear for bicycles, the combination with the operating levers and the radially adjustable sprocket wheels connected therewith, of a sprocket chain connecting said sprocket wheels with a rear sprocket wheel, and pawland ratchet connections between the latter and the driving wheel of the bicycle, substantially as set forth.

3. As an improvement in driving gear for bicycles, the combination with the operating levers and radially adjustable sprocket wheels connected therewith, of the sprocket chains connecting said sprocket Wheels with a rear sprocket wheel, pawl and ratchet connection between the latter and the driving wheel of the bicycle, and the coiled spring constituting part of said sprocket chains, substantially as set forth.

4. As an improvement in driving gear for bicycles, the combination with the operating levers and sprocket Wheels connected therewith of mechanism for radially adjusting said sprocket wheels, a latch for locking the sprocket wheels and the said operating levers together and pawl and ratchet connections betweensaid sprocket wheels and the driving wheel of the bicycle, substantially as set forth.

5. As an improvement in driving gear for bicycles, the combination with the operating levers and sprocket wheels connected therewith, of a pinion engaging with the rack carried by said sprocket wheel for adjusting the latter vertically, a face wheel for operating said pinion and the latch carried by the said operating levers for engaging with one of said face wheels on each side, substantially as set forth.

6. As an improvement in driving gear for bicycles, the combination with a forging 17, carrying journals 18, of the hub 22, on each of said journals, a pinion 29 mounted on said hubs, a face wheel 30 for operating said pinion and sprocket wheel 9, carrying a rack 34 with which said pinion engages, an operating lever for operating said hub 22 and means for locking the operating lever on each side of the machine with the said face wheel 30, substantially as set forth.

7. As an improvement in driving gear for bicycles, the combination with a forging 17, carrying journals 18, of the hub 22 carried on each of said journals, a pinion 29 mounted on said hub and sprocket wheel 9 carrying a rack 3a with which said pinion engages, a face wheel 30 for operating said pinion, notches 42 in the periphery of said face wheel, operating lever 26 connected with said hub, and the latch 43 carried by said operating lever and engaging with said face Wheel, substantially as set forth.

8. As an improvement in driving gear for bicycles, the combination with a forging 17 carrying a journal 18 on each side, a hub 22 carried on each of said journals, of ball bearings and hub 28 mounted on said hub and pinion 29 on said hub, a sprocket wheel carrying rack 34 with which said pinion engages, a face wheel 30 carried by the hub 28 and operating lever connected with the hub 22, and the latch 43 for locking said operating lever and said face wheel together, substantially as set forth.

'9. As an improvement in driving gear for bicycles, the combination with a forging 17 carrying a journal 18 on each side, a hub 22 on each of said journals, a sprocket wheel carried on each side of the machine and means for adjusting said sprocket wheels radially, gear wheels 35 on said hubs and the gear wheel 37 connecting said gear wheels 35 together, for the purpose mentioned of ratchet connections between said sprocket wheels and the rear or driving wheel.

10. In a bicycle, the combination with the journals, the cylindrical hubs having an angular flange near the center, and the cranks secured thereto, of the sprocket wheels having diametric rack bars and slots engaging with said flange, the pinions engaging with said rack bar, the notched wheels secured to the shanks of the pinions, the spring actuated pins carried by the cranks and the levers for operating the same, substantially as set forth.

11. In a bicycle, the combination with the bearing, journals secured thereto, the cylindrical hubs on said journals having angular flanges near the center, and the cranks secured thereto, of the'sprocket wheels having diametric rack bars and slots engaging with said flange, the pinions engaging with said rack FRANK HAYES. Witnesses:

LEONARD H. DYER, SADIE STERN. 

